Awning



F. M. POWERS Dec. 18, 1951 AWNING Filed June 3, 1949 Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATS PATENT OFFICE AWNING Frank M. lowers, River Forest, Ill.

Application .lune 3, 1949, Serial No. 97,010

(Ci. i60- 392) 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in awnings, and in particular it relates to improved means for securing the awning fabric to the front bar of the frame.

One of the standing problems in the manufacture of awnings is to devise appropriate ways of securing the fabric of an awning to the frame. The front bar of an awning frame must be readily secured to the fabric in a 4fashion which will practically eliminate the possibility of the parts becoming separated, but at the same time it is desirable to give the inner surface of the awning, facing the window, a pleasing appearance.

Heretofore, it has been customary to run the front bar of the awning frame through a tubular loop on the inner surface of the awning, or through a plurality of narrow loops. rfhis means of securing the awning to the front bar imposes limitations upon the front bar corner structure, because it must be kept small enough to pass through the loops.

In my improved awning, a substantially eyxlndrical member is secured on the inner surface of the awning fabric parallel to the lower edge thereof, and the front bar consists of a longitudinally split tube which may be slid onto the aforesaid member so as to retain the awning and front bar in engagement. This arrangement permits the use of strong and heavy corner structures at the junction between the front bar and side bars, and also exposes the surface of the front bar to the view from the window. The surface of the front bar may be chromium plated, or finished in any other manner to give a more decorative effect to the awning when viewed from the window.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an awning embodying the invention, with the side panel of the awning removed for clarity; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view thereof, showing details of the awning and front bar construction; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation, partially in section; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the front bar; and Fig. 5 is a section taken as indicated at 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, an awning has a main fabric portion 6 which is secured to a front bar 'I and supported from a window from 8 by a top fixture 9 and pivotally mounted side bars I0. The side bars Ill may be secured to the front bar 1 in any suitable manner.

My invention resides in the means by which the main fabric portion 6 of the awning is secured to the front bar l. A substantially cylindrical member II-a rope or the like being suitable--is secured to the inner surface of the fabric l 2 i5 adjacent and parallel to the lower edge thereof.

A preferred method of attaching the cylindrical member il to the fabric t is illustrated in Fig. 2 in which l2 is a loop or tube formed in the fabric, and running across the entire width thereof, at the junction between the main body of the fabric 9 and the depending skirt t. The rope or other cylindrical member ll is inserted in the tube I2 to act as a stiifening member and hold the tube in round.

The front bar l is a longitudinally split rigid tube which has a diameter of sufficient width to permit it to be slid endwise over the tube l2 and stiifening member ll. The longitudinal split I3 is of sufficient width to accommodate the narrow neck between the fabric f5 and the tube i2, so the front bar substantially encircles the tube l2 and engages it in order to maintain its connection with the fabric 6.

As used herein, the term cylindrical means a body having a continuous elongated surface and parallel side walls.

The above and foregoing detailed description is for clearness of understanding only and no un necessary limitations should be construed therefrom.

I claim:

l. In a fabric awning having a frame consisting of a front bar and side bars, a substantially cylindrical member secured to the inner surface of the awning fabric adjacent and parallel to the lower edge thereof, and a front bar comprising a longitudinally split substantially annular tube adapted to be slid endwise over said member to secure the awning and the front bar together.

2. An awning as set forth in claim l wherein the cylindrical member is flexible.

3. In a fabric awning having a frame consisting of a front bar and side bars, a tube formed in the awning fabric adjacent and parallel to the lower edge thereof and projecting inwardly, a stiffening member inserted in said tube, and a front bar comprising a longitudinally split substantially annular rigid tube adapted to be slid endwise over the tube in the awning fabric to secure the awning and the front bar together.

FRANK M. POWERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller Feb. 6. 1940 

